Castle & Key Restoration Rye Whiskey Batch 3
Castle & Key Restoration Rye Whiskey Batch 3 is Kentucky straight rye whiskey bottled at 106 proof (53% ABV) — the third batch release from the restored Old Taylor Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Built on a mash of 63% rye, 17% yellow corn and 20% malted barley and aged in a mix of char 3 and char 4 barrels, it pours stone fruit, toasted almond, pumpernickel, honey and toffee on the nose, with brown sugar, cinnamon, marshmallow and black tea on the palate. Order this 750mL bottle online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 53% (106 proof) — 2022 Batch 3 (the 2021 Batch 3 was 105 proof; title carries no year — confirm on bottle)
- Size: 750mL
- Mash bill: 63% rye, 17% yellow corn, 20% malted barley (sweet mash)
- Aging: minimum 3 years in char 3 & char 4 new oak; a 60-barrel batch selection
- Distillery: Castle & Key, the restored Old Taylor Distillery (est. 1887), Frankfort, KY
- Style: Kentucky straight rye whiskey
Restoring a Whiskey Castle
The distillery's story is the whiskey's story. Colonel E.H. Taylor built the Old Taylor Distillery outside Millville in 1887 — the iconic "whiskey castle" — and it made whiskey until 1972 before decades of silence. In 2014, Will Arvin and Wes Murry bought the ruin and spent two years rebuilding it; the first new spirit ran in 2016, the first in 44 years. Restoration Rye is the flagship of that rebirth, and each batch is blended from barrel "pods" grouped by sensory profile, so every release has its own character. Batch 3 leans fruity and floral, with the extra malted barley in the mash giving it a malty, nutty depth under the rye spice. Explore more rye whiskey and the Castle & Key collection.
Tasting Notes
Nose: stone fruit, toasted almond, pumpernickel, honey, toffee, leather, sweet oak. Palate: brown sugar, cinnamon, marshmallow, rosemary, black tea; caramel, rye spice, orange and mint, finishing malty and nutty. Finish: spicy and satisfying — a proof point built for sipping or mixing.
How to Enjoy
Neat or with a cube to open the fruit, or put the 106 proof to work in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned — this is a bartender's rye as much as a sipper's.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the proof of Castle & Key Restoration Rye Batch 3? The 2022 Batch 3 is bottled at 106 proof (53% ABV). Note the 2021 Batch 3 was 105 proof — confirm the bottling year on your bottle.
What is the mash bill? 63% rye, 17% yellow corn, 20% malted barley — the high malted-barley share is unusual for rye and gives it a distinctive malty depth.
Where is Castle & Key? Frankfort, Kentucky, in the restored 1887 Old Taylor Distillery — the "whiskey castle" built by Colonel E.H. Taylor.
Rye fans in San Diego, CA: order Castle & Key online from Del Mesa Liquor.